"I baked many red velvet cakes before this recipe. Some were hard and others were awful. This one is moist and has become a family favorite."

Ingredients

2 1/2cups self-rising flour

1 1/2cups sugar

2eggs

1 1/2cups vegetable oil

1tablespoon baking soda

1tablespoon vanilla extract

1ounce red food coloring

1cup buttermilk

1tablespoon cocoa powder

1tablespoon vinegar

Icing:

7cups confectioners' sugar

28-ounce packages cream cheese

3/4cup margarine

1teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease and flour three 9-inch round pans. In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, eggs, oil, baking soda, vanilla and food coloring. In another bowl, combine buttermilk, cocoa powder and vinegar. Stir well. Combine contents of both bowls and blend well. Pour batter into pans and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until center springs to the touch. Allow cake to cool for 10 minutes and turn layers out onto waxed paper. Set aside to cool and make icing.

Whip together all icing ingredients until creamy and thick. Place one cake layer on cake plate and spread top with icing. Put second layer on top and spread with icing. Place third layer on top, and ice the top and sides of entire cake.